Matrix user forums

At last I can now communicate to my external non PC peripheral device via rs232 thanks to JIM.
I purchased the new version of the pic programming development board and the rs232 E-BLOCK and followed Jims FLOWCODE instructions using a Pic16f877A and all worked ok.
Three more questions if I may?

1:-When replacing the above pic chip for the smaller pic16f628/20 and realigning the flow code parameters ie Target pic chip setting and making sure auto-detect sees the new pic chip and making sure that the osc is correct, the project fails. Is it beause it should be a Pic16f628A/20 or is something else.

2:- The next step in this project is to add a selection of switches to the input ports of the pic chip so that I could send different rs232 instrucions to my external device on different switch button pushes. Any help would be appreciated bearing in mind I can only just understand FLOWCODE and not actual source code programming.

3:- Where can I find typical VARIABLE commands so that I can experiment even further.

Looking forward to any helpful advise.
Thanks

1.
Not sure why it won't work with a 16F627 - does it work with the 16F627a?

Also note that the UART for the 627 is on port b, not port c as with the 877. And the tx/rx pins are different.

Are there any specific error messages?

2.
You could create a variable "in" and use it to accept the input from port a (use an input icon). then use a decision icon with "if a = 1". This would indicate that button A0 was pressed. This may get you started.

3.
There may be some examples about variables in the tutorials. But we know our tutorials are not brilliant and we need to generate a better "getting started" tutorial to help new users.

There are also some video presentations on our website (go to the home page and scroll down - they are in the section entitled "Video Tutorials"). These may help.